Shoe tree or stretcher.



No. 772,873. PATENTED OCT. 18, 1904.

y A. A; DBLANO. SHOE E 0E S'I'RBT ER. APPL: o'N rum) JAN'. 904.

No MODEL.

` 1. y l CQ `CL, [it

UNTTED STATES Patented October 18. 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

ONE-HALF TO FRED DREW, OF BROOKTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

TREE,O STRETCHER.

sPEciFrcATIoN forming part er Letters Patent No. 772,873, dated october 1s, 1904.

Application led January 14, 190A. Serial No. 188,984. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom, t may concern:

Be it known that I, AUGUs'rINE A. DELANO, of Brockton, in the county of Plymouth and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Shoe TreesA or Stretchers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to shoe trees or stretchers which are intended to be used by the wearer of a pair of shoes to exert longitudinal pressure on the interior of the upper between the heel and toe portions for the purpose of eradicating wrinkles and of supporting the upper so that it may be conveniently cleaned, polished, &c.

The invention has for its object to provide a two-part tree or stretcher adapted to be quickly and conveniently engaged with the upper and to effectively support the flexible forward portion vthereof in such manner as to give-the same a smooth surface and enable it to be readily cleaned and dressed, one of the partsof the device constituting a handle which projects from the Lipper in convenient *l position to be held by the operator.

The-invention consists in the improvements which Iv will now proceed to describe and claim.

Of the accompanying drawings, forming a,

part of this specification, Figure l represents a top plan view. of my improved shoe tree or stretcher, showing the same adjusted for in sertion in a shoe. Fig. 2 represents a longitudinal section on line2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 represents a longitudinal section of a shoe and a side elevation of my improved tree or stretcher partially engaged therewith, the said figure also showing the tree or stretcher in dotted lines adjusted as shown in Figs. 1-

median portion of the vamp when the tree is fullyengaged with the shoe, as shown in Fig. 4. The fore` part c is so slender, however, that it is adapted to move freely endwise into and out of the upper without material frictional resistance. Tn the rear portion of the fore part t is formed a vertical slot a', which extends forward from the rear end along the median line of the fore part. The upper portion c2 of the inner end or bottom of the slot a constitutes a stop the Jfunction of which Vwill be presently described.

c represents a lever which extends through the slot c and is connected by a pivot-pin d with the portions of the forepart forming the sides of'said slot. The lever comprises an outer arm 2 and an inner arm 3, said arms extending from the pivot d at different angles,

so thata straight line drawn from the pivotv p through the .center of the outer end of the `outer arm would stand atan obtuse angle rwith aline drawn from said pivot through the center of the outer end of the inner arm, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 2. The forward edge of the outer arm 2 has a protuberance formed at 30 to bear upon the stop a2.

The form and relative arrangement of the above-described parts is such that when the outer arm 2 is moved away from the stop 02, as

shown in Fig. l, the inner arm 8 projects forward under the fore part a and is in position to be conveniently inserted in the upper with the fore part,v as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 3,

' the outer arm at the same time extending substantially in alinement with the fore part a. VVhen, however, the outer arm is swung forward toward the stop a2 after the stretcher has been inserted in the upper, the inner arm is swung downward and backward, so that lits outer end comes vto a bearing simultaneously on the rear end of the inner sole and the adjoining part of the counter portion of the upper before the fore part has reached the extreme of its forward movement and before the outer arm comes to a bearing on the stop a2, as indicated by full lines in Fig. 3. A con-4 tinuation of the forward movement of the outer arm causes the fore part a to be forced forward against the toe portion of the upper and upward against the median portion ot the vamp, so that when the outer arm reaches the stop ft2 the fore part (i is pressed lirmly torward against the said toe portion and upward against the vamp. the pressure being sustained by the relatively rigid lower portion et' the counter ot' the shoe adjoining the inner sole and heel. The stretcher is therefore given a practically rigid support when in the position shown in Fig. 4 by the said counter portion, so that there is no liability ot' the backward yielding' oi' the stretcher, as would be the ease it' the inner arm 3 had a bearing on the upper at a point considerably above the sole, or, in other words, it' the inner arm 3 did not bear simultaneously on the inner sole and on the adjoining counter portion of the upper. The importance of this relatively rigid support for the inner arm 5 will be ap- [neciatedwhen it is borne in mind that the said inner arm not only supports the forward pressure of the fore part against the toe ot' the upper, but also the upward pressure of said fore part against the vamp.

rlhe outer arm 3 when in the position shown in Fig. t projects from the upper in such direction that it constitutes a convenient handle whereby the operator may manipulate the shoe when cleaning and dressing the same.

It will be seen by reference to Fig. 4 that when the tree is adjusted in operative position in the shoe the only parts ot' the stretcher that are in contact with the sole are the rear end ot' the rarm 3 and the forward end of the tore part a. The pressure exerted between the heel and the toe portions tends to straighten the sole and prevent it from curling upwardly when it is taken oli in a wet or damp condition, the upper surlace ol the tore part at the the toe portion ot an upper and having a lonA gitudinal slot in its rear portion, the outer portion ot the bottom oi said slot eonstitul-.

ing a stop, and a lever jointed to the rear portion of the fore part and extending through the slot, the said lever having an outer arm the Vforward edge ot' which is lornied torooperate with the said stop, and an inner arm constituting a heel part, projecting troni the tore part at an angle with the outer arm, the arrangement or' the arms relatively to each other and to the stop being such that when the outer arm is thrown backward troni the stop, the inner arm projects forward under the tore part, and is adapted to be inserted with the fore part in the upper, and when the outer arm is thrown forward against the stop the inner arm is swung downward and bachward and caused to bear simultaneously on the rear end of the inner sole and the adjoining portion of the upper and exert Atorward and upward pressure on the tore part. said pressure being sustained by the relatively rigid lower part of the counter portion ot the upper.

ln testimony whereof l have atiixed mysignature in presence ot' two witnesses.

AUGUSTINE A. DELANO.

fitnesses2 MARY E. PAmncN'rrm, MABnL E. NEAL. 

